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Dunn dives in to crash Zola's party

Chelsea 1 Blackburn Rovers

Jason Burt
Sunday 23 February 2003 01:00 GMT
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1966. That was the last time Chelsea won this fixture in the top flight. It was – to adapt an advertising campaign once used apropos Eric Cantona – a great year for English football. Gianfranco Zola was born and yesterday the Italian made his 300th appearance in a Chelsea shirt.

Admittedly both clubs have yo-yoed a little since the Sixties but Chelsea have now failed in nine attempts to put their irritating record against Blackburn to rest. This result is a severe dent to their Champions' League ambitions, with those around them winning, and overshadowed any hopes that it would be a day of celebration for Zola.

To cap it all, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri described it as his side's worst performance of the season. "They were more of a team than us," he said. "In the second half we created two or three chances but it was not the same Chelsea today."

Zola – recovered from a hamstring injury – started on the bench but that did not stop the club presenting him an award after the warm-up for hitting his landmark. Graeme Le Saux whose career at Chelsea was interrupted by a four-year spell at Ewood Park also made his 300th appearance, although he limped away from the action early.

Zola came on at half-time to provide more invention and played just behind the front two. There were moments of wonderful skill – none more so than the run after 64 minutes in which he beat, and then held off, two defenders before delivering a delightful back-heel infield.

There was the chance to rescue matters with a free-kick but – for once – he struck it poorly. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink did better in injury time as he smashed his effort through the Blackburn wall. But he had earlier been guilty of a series of misses. His goal was no consolation.

By then, the visitors, who approached the game purposefully, had completed their smash-and-grab. Brad Friedel had one of the those days that prompted Gordon Strachan to once comment that he probably got changed in a phone box while the recalled David Dunn was the match-winner. "We expected to be on the back foot," Blackburn manager Graeme Souness said. "And we did ride our luck at times."

The goals all came late. For the first, substitute Dwight Yorke stooped low to head in Dunn's corner and the midfielder – transfer-listed, out-of-favour and only playing because of suspensions – then added the second when he cut into the area and drove the ball under Carlo Cudicini.

The Chelsea defending was lamentable, with William Gallas, having sliced wildly over his own bar to concede the corner, failing to pick up Yorke for his goal while Dunn went virtually unchallenged for his. With the two best goalkeepers in the league on the pitch, it had appeared that both sides would have to work harder to score.

Indeed, the tone was set after just four minutes when Dunn drew a fine save from Cudicini with a low drive. However, it was Friedel who was forced into a spectacular block when he beat out a snap-shot from Eidur Gudjohnsen after Frank Lampard's cut-back. Then, after 33 minutes, he made an astonishing double save from Hasselbaink following a mêlée.

Straight after the restart, Friedel was at it again as he saved Gudjohnsen's shot and then beat out a fierce drive by Celestine Babayaro. Agonisingly for Chelsea, the ball just evaded the onrushing Hasselbaink. Then it was Lampard's turn to be denied. He ran across the area only to see his shot blocked by the big American. The rebound was charged down, landing for Hasselbaink to shoot wildly over, as the frustration grew.

It was obvious Chelsea were struggling in attack as their efforts on goal relied more and more on brute power. To cap it all, the Hasselbaink headed weakly into the ground from four yards after beating his marker.

"Today was a crucial moment," Ranieri said afterwards. "Sometimes the will, the wish to do something special ends in frustration." It all seemed a far cry from the buoyant mood of the Zola-inspired celebration before kick-off. Maybe Chelsea should have paid more attention to other records.

Chelsea 1
Hasselbaink 90

Blackburn Rovers 2
Yorke 86, Dunn 89

Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 40,850

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